Animals
Bison
Bison, symbolic animals of the Great Plains, are often mistakenly called buffaloes. These animals are the heaviest land animals in North America standing at 5 to 6.5 feet tall at the shoulder. Despite their massive size, bison are quick on their feet and can run at speeds up to 40 miles an hour.
Bison meat is a leaner meat and good to eat. We offer the opportunity to purchase a bison and once purchased, a bison can be harvested at the discretion of the buyer.
Now offering bison bacon!
Aurochsen
Aurochs are the ancestors of all domesticated cattle. This domestication event first happened around 10,000 years ago. Aurochs were animals that played an important role in many human cultures. They are depicted in the famous Lascaux cave painting of France, which are around 17,000 years old.
Although the breed is an ancient breed having a large territory ranging from Asia to North Africa and Europe, by the 17th century it was nearly extinct with its last remaining herd in Poland. There, the right to hunt large animals on any land was restricted first to nobles, and then gradually, to only the royal households. Poaching aurochs was made a crime punishable by death. The last recorded live aurochs, a female, died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland, from natural causes.
In the early 1920s, Heinz Heck, Director of the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich Germany initiated a selective breeding program attempting to breed back the aurochs using several cattle breeds; the result is called Heck cattle. Starting in 1996, Heck cattle were crossed with southern European cattle breeds such as Sayaguesa Cattle, Chianina and to a lesser extent Spanish Fighting Bulls to increase the aurochs-like features of Heck cattle.
This cross breeding increased the size and aggressive nature of the animal to closer resemble the aurochs. They are a large dark skinned animal with large horns and an orange or white stripe down their back.
With their long horns and beautiful coats the aurochs looks magnificent, but some farmers have been forced to reduce the size of their herd because they are too aggressive. These animals are sometimes too dangerous to handle. To quote one farmer “I have never come across anything like these. They are by far and away the most aggressive animals I have ever worked with. The ones we had to get rid of would just attack you any chance they could.”
Grass Fed Beef
Black Angus’ size results in higher percentages of choice and prime cuts than most other breeds. Generally, Black Angus tastes better and is more tender than other beef. This is attributed to the meat’s marbling — a trait that Angus is known for. In marbled meat, the fat is distributed thinly and evenly, which leads to more consistent flavor, juiciness, and overall taste.
The taste and texture of a Rudolf Ranch’s Black Angus is superior due to being fed natural grasses with no antibiotics or growth hormones.
Other Animals
While you do not need a license to harvest your purchased animal(s) within our fenced preserves, with the proper licenses, and when in season, experienced harvesters can also pursue rough grouse, eastern turkey, snowshoe hare, fox, deer and coyote.